Monday, April 27, 2015,4-6:30 PM,SDG&E Energy Innovation Center,4760 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.,NGSS: What is it and how might it change science teaching and learning?See attached flyer for more information and to…Continue

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TO REGISTER FOR THE April 27-28, 2015, Series with Dr. Helen Quinn:

The STEM Education Economics and Equity (SEEE) Seminar Series joins forces with San Diego State University's Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education (CRMSE) to present the Spring, 2015, Seminar,Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): What is it and how might it change science teaching and learning?, on Monday, April 27, 4:00-6:30 PM, at the SDG&E Energy Innovation Center, 4760 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, San Diego, 92117--see Maps/Directions.

Attendance is free--A voluntary donation of $10 to offset expenses is welcomed at the door.

DESCRIPTION: Learn about the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and see what they look like in action! Dr. Helen Quinn, Emerita Professor of Physics at Stanford Linear Center, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and Chair of the science workgroup at Stanford’s Understanding Language project, will provide us with an overview of the NGSS. Dr. Quinn served as a Chair of the National Academy of Sciences’ committee that produced the Framework for K-12 Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. This document served as a guide for the development of the NGSS. Following Dr. Quinn’s talk, teachers and educators from around San Diego County will share examples of how they are enacting NGSS in their classrooms.

Schedule:

4:00 pm Reception and Networking

4:20 pm Welcome and Introductions

4:30 pm Speaker: Dr. Helen Quinn, A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards -- how are they changing science teaching and learning?

This initiative offers a series of seminars centered on presentations by economists, political scientists, educators, and leading thinkers who are experts on some of the "big questions" about how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education relates to economics and social equity. Each seminar includes a talk and a subsequent discussion held by a panel of local leaders who will raise questions and reactions to the presenters’ ideas. Transcriptions of these talks and discussions will be posted in this website hosting an online forum which will gather ongoing contributions from diverse participants, links to other resources, and accompanying materials. We anticipate two seminars per year for a period of five years. The initiative is led by an editorial committee, including members from different constituencies such as universities, school districts, and businesses. This editorial committee looks for funds to support the initiative while preserving total autonomy in decision making, such as in deciding on speakers to invite and on the structure of the website.

Many parents, educators, administrators, politicians, and businessmen worry about the state of STEM education and strive to support programs and policies to improve its quality and broaden access. Over the years numerous debates have spread across the nation on which programs and policies are more likely to foster students' quality preparation and interest in mathematics, science, and engineering. Many of these efforts take the form of exposing leaders and stakeholders to selected programs, innovations, and evaluations in an effort to ascertain which ones are the most deserving of support. These types of activities are useful because they help familiarize leaders with an array of ongoing initiatives taking place in formal and informal education. However, they rarely elicit discussions about the "big questions" that ultimately must orient educational reform, such as:

Economics. How does economic development at local, regional, and national levels relate to the state of STEM education? How does a nation's investment in STEM education translate into economic and cultural benefits for its population? In what ways does formal education impact the availability of an educated workforce in a certain geographical region?

Equity. How do changes in demography and cultural roots of the population affect and are affected by STEM education? What does the educational and economic history of the country tell us about these matters? What makes STEM education more or less relevant to the life of culturally diverse students? How does testing affect the educational trajectory of students across cultural and economic differences?

Educational Policy. What are the trade-offs between centralized and local control on education? What are major differences between liberal and conservative "agendas" regarding STEM education? In what ways do educational policies facilitate or impede the contributions of informal institutions (e.g. after school programs, museums, community centers) to STEM education? How do teacher constituencies position regarding policy initiatives proposed at national and state levels?

While we will pursue broad attendance and participation in the seminars, the main desired impact of the initiative is not necessarily media attention but educational leadership. We hope that over the years this initiative will offer support for political, economic, and educational leaders in Southern California to become better educated on the different viewpoints at the intersections between STEM education, economics, and culture. Furthermore, we expect that this richer and deeper understanding will help catalyze other initiatives striving to influence educational policies in Sacramento and Washington, as well as local innovations benefiting students and families in the San Diego area.